Believe in the Power of Self…

Good evening everyone!! I know my posting is few and far between right now, but I have lots of things bubbling up in my brain and I’m making notes so I don’t forget all the things I want to share…

For the past week or so (since the day I flew to Austin) I have had a super sore deltoid/trapezius muscle on my right side…all across the top of my shoulder and a bit down the back and side. I have no idea what brought it on…I chalked it up to “one of those things”, or else maybe it was my carry-on bag being so full of water and magazines! I didn’t give it much attention, a little extra stretching here and there, or a massage for a minute or two…nothing too big. Coincidentally (or, as we know, NOT coincidentally because there are not coincidences), when I turned my head to the left in spine series savasana I was feeling an ever so slight twang in my neck on the left side. I had the feeling that twang was going to materialize into something more than a twang, but didn’t know when.

It happened yesterday afternoon. I took it super easy in class in the morning…some days I just need to get a little stretch and be in a hot room…I could feel all my muscles in my back and shoulders very tight. A few hours later I was sitting in a chair, having a conversation, and suddenly it felt like I got stabbed in the shoulder and it shot all the way down my left arm, up the left side of my neck and radiated all though my left shoulder…I tried stretching it and giving it some traction, as well as trying to crack the ribs around it…to no avail. It was not getting any better. By the time I got home all I could do was lay on the floor and massage it with the lid of my water bottle (I usually have a golf ball, as many of you who know me know I always like to have a golf ball with me for just this occasion…but I don’t seem to have one with me now and the lid was going to have to do!). It was so painful, I couldn’t move my head or lift my left arm really…and I couldn’t get any relief. Needless to say my sleep lastnight was not great…I would finally prop myself up so I had the least pain and sleep for a bit before it was time to try to roll over and try to find another position that was comfortable enough. Sheesh. It was really something!! This has not happened very many times in my life. I can tell you a few other times I have had something like this happen and it’s laid me up for a few days, this was definitely on the top of those times.

So, anyhow, I woke up this am to see how I felt and decide if I thought taking class was a good idea. I had booked a massage with the brilliant Dana of Awakenings Massage (if you are in the Tahoe area, you MUST see Dana, seriously), so I thought I would go into class and just take it easy and do what I could. Well, with the combination of being mindful (I had no choice other than to be mindful so I didn’t strain or tweak it more), giving myself permission to take it easy, and it being a hot and juice Sunday morning Bestest class…well, miraculously with every posture I seemed to feel better and better! It was awesome and amazing and such a relief. I cannot tell you how much better I felt after following my 26+2 exactly as prescribed…yoga is thy medicine.

Following this wonderful release in class I had such an amazing massage with Dana. I cannot tell you enough how amazing she is…she has a few different techniques she uses…and the thing with Dana is she is always learning more and new and expanding her knowledge base. I highly highly recommend her…did I mention that yet???!! 🙂

So, now, in addition to the physical manifestations of this thing…there was the emotional and spiritual manifestations…in less than 24 hours I went from feeling un grounded and emotional to feeling elated and peaceful. I had locked something in my shoulders and apparently was not listening to the signs I had been receiving…so the Universe had to yell at me to get me to pay attention. When will I ever learn…?

So, Puppies, follow your prescription of 26+2 exactly as it is given to you. Do not stop short when you are feeling better…you must finish it to the end. Alas, the end is really just the beginning…

2 responses to “Believe in the Power of Self…”

Ida, I had a similar experience with my right shoulder, from a simple task called shampooing hair 🙂 Yoga cured it, then it came back when I slept pillow-less in a tent for one night. Yoga cured it, and now the pain has taken a back seat. I listened to my body and let go of my ego. Patience IS a virtue.